Apparatus for hardening the cups and cones of ball-bearings.



Patented Dec. 2, I902.

c. H. CHAPMAN. APPARATUS FOR HARDENING THE CUPS AND BONES 0F BALLBEARINGS,

Application filed Mar. 21, 1901.)

(No Madal.)

\\HHIIIIIII I PATENT FFICE.

CHARLES H. CHAPMAN, OF GROTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

APPARATUS FOR HARDENING THE CUPS AND CONES OF BALL-BEARINGS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 714,670, dated December2, 1902.

Original application filed (lune 4,1900, Serial No. 19,041. Divided andthis application filed March 21, 1901. Serial No. 52,249. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES H. CHAPMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Groton, in the county of Middlesex and State of shown anddescribed in my application for to be hardened which receive immediatelythe wear of use, so that the remainder may be left soft or unaffected bythe hardening process, as I will proceed now more particularly to setforth and flnally claim.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, in the severalfigures of which like parts are similarly designated, Figure 1 is asectional front elevation, the parts being adjusted for operation. Fig.2 is a sectional side elevation of a modified form, the parts also beingadjusted for operation. Fig. 3 is an end View of the nozzle. Fig. 4 is atop view of the holder. Fig. 5 is a top view of a cup to be hardened.Fig. 6 is an under side view of the cover. of a cone to be hardened.

As shown in Fig. 1, a is a suitable frame, such as a tripod, havingbearings 19, which receive a vertical rod 0 and permit its longitudinaladjustmenttherein by a handle d, the adjustment being limited by anadjustable collar 6, secured to the rod by a set-screw f and retained bypin (1, engaged by the handle when turned over it. On the upper end ofthis rod is fitted, as by a screw-threaded joint, a skeleton holder g,having a seat It to receive the cup 0 and protect the under side andouter surface thereof against the action of the hardening fluid whilebeing treated and provided with a cover 0 to protect the upper side ofthe cup and having an overhanging flange to engage the interior of theFig. 7 is a top view ical distributer 70, mounted concentrically in saidnozzle and connected therewith, as by wings i, so as to leave an annularspace between itself and the nozzle, whereby a tubular stream is causedto flow therefrom. The nozzle is adapted to be connected fluid-tightwith a pipe on, having a valve n to supply the fluid to the object to betreated.

In Fig. 2 I have shown an apparatus for hardening the wearing-surfaceonly of a cone '1", in which the holder is merely a spindlep on the endof the rod cto snugly fit the open: ing in the cone and having ashoulderq, upon which the cone rests, and the nozzle 8 has an inwardly-flaringmouth and a cone 25, provided with a cylindrical skirt at, which coversin and protects the upper end of the cone r from the action of thehardening fluid.

The apparatus will he modified to suit the construction of thebearing-piece to be treated.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: The steel cup 0 is heatedto a low red heat and placed in the seat h of the holder g, and thecover 1 is then placed on top the cup, with its projecting lip enteringthe cup 0. The cup and the weight of the cover are sustained in thebottom of the holder 9 and prevent the water, oil, or hardening solutionfrom coming in contact with the outside part of the cup, which it isdesirable not to harden. The parts being in their normal position, withthe holder g resting upon the upper bearing 17, the upright rod 0 isthen raised to the position shown in the drawings by the handle 61 untilthe collare comes up against the lower bearing 1). The collar isadjustable up and down on the rod 0 to bring the cup into the mostdesirable position with relation to the nozzle. The valve being opened,the hardening solution rushes through the nozzle and strikes the pointof the cone 7c and is forced out of the nozzle, as indicated by thearrows, in a tubular stream and comes in contact as the cone 7 entersthe cylindrical portion '11,

of the cone above the point of discharge of the hardening fluid and asthe cone projects and hangs over the shoulder it is obvious that thehardening solution cannot come in contact with the upper end and theinside of the cone, which it is desirable not to harden.

The operation of hardening the cnps and cones is substantially the same,with the exception that with the cups the hardening so-,

7 lution strikes and hardens the inside or wearing-surface of the cupandleaves the outside soft and with the cone the hardening solution strikesand hardens that part or wearing-surface of the outside of the conewhich it is desirable to harden and leaves the inside and upper end ofthe cone soft.

It will be seen that by covering that part of the cups and cones whichit is desirable not to harden, so that the hardening solution cannotcome in contact with it, and by applying a stream of the hardeningsolution under a high pressure to that part of the cup and cone which itis desirable to harden I am enabled to get a very even and extremelyhard wearing-surface, which can afterward be drawn to a color, whichwill greatly increase the durability and wearing capacity of the cup andcone, and as by this invention that part of the cup or cone which doesnot come in contact with the balls can be left soft the liability of thecups and cones being broken in use is greatly, if not entirely,overcome.

Another very important feature in this invention is that the cups andcones will retain their proper shapes much better than when immersed ina bath of hardening solution.

A great difficulty in the ordinary process of hardening a large cup orcone, such as is used in a heavy bearing, is that the great heat is veryliable to propel the solution away from its surface, leavingsteam-cells, which prevent the cups or cones from being evenly hardened,resulting in soft spots, which destroy the usefulness of the cup orcone. By applying the hardening solution to the surface of the heatedsteel under a high pressure the heat cannot repel the solution, and theresult is that the steel is instantly chilled and hardened. The depth ofthe hardening can also be regulated to a great extent by the length oftime the hardening solution is applied.

The pin d may be adjustable, so as to provide for the retention of theholderat any desired elevation.

What I claim is 1. Apparatus for hardening the wearingsnrfaces of thebearing-pieces of ball-bearings, consisting of a holder adapted toreceive and support the bearing-piece to be treated and expose only thatportion of the object that is to be hardened and covering up thatportion which may remain unaffected by the hardening process, a conicaldistributer arranged above the holder, and a dischargenozzle surroundingthe distributer and serving with the distributer to confine thehardening fluid to the surface to be hardened,

substantially as described.

2. The combination of a supporting-frame, a longitudinally-movable rodarranged therein, a holder mounted upon said rod and having a seat toreceive the object to be treated and to protect the under and outersurfaces of such object against the action of the hardening fluid, acover having an overhanging flange similarly to protect the upperportion of the object, a conical distributer mounted above the holder,and a fluid-discharging nozzle surrounding the said distributer and withit serving to discharge the hardening fluid upon that portion only ofthe object which it is desired to harden, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 19th day of March,A. D. 1901.

' CHARLES H. CHAPMAN. Witnesses:

OSCAR E. STEVENS, W. E. PUTNEY.

